MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 386, 3 November 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

The minds of our Victorian neighbours have been somewhat exercised in connection with an art union destriUition recently got up at Ballarat on behalf of the local Mechanics' Institute. The total number of tickets was 10,000 at £1 each, the first prize being a gold vase with a lump of gold attached, the total \aluo being put at 2500. The winner was to be ottered a cheque for £2000 if he preferred t>> take his [g.uns in that way. Of course there were numerous other jjprizes, including works of art of more or less value and other things. The coveted cup was won by a Mr Williams and u working man in his employment of the name of Harman ; they wore partners in the ticket. A young woman — Mary Mulcahy — however, afterwards claimed a share, in viitue of 5s she gave Harman to invest on her behalf. Without going into the question which has been thus raised, we may state that a lar</o number of highly respectable and stnid people have been very much scandalised by the whole affair. They say that to talk about this being simply a union for the distribution of works of art is a mockery — that, in point of f>ioi , it was nothing but a simple money lottery. Th-y ask with what decency cm the law fine some poor Chinaman or other sportive youth for indulging his natural inclination for gambling when it permits proceedings of the kind we have described I We must admit that, put in this light, the question is not easy to answer in any way at all compatible with the character of the law for honesty aud fair dealing. The great success which has attended this coup will assuiedly produce a whole coup of imitations. Already we hear of several " adventurers " being in contemplation. How sad it is to have one's bright anticipations quenched in lught was dieoovered by a young Englishman the other evening. Ho determined to uttend h musk ball, and with genial discrimination '•hose to do it in the character of a monkey. The night was lino though cold, a:ul ho was of a frugal mind ; so, instead of taking a enrnaee, he °et out to walk in coitume from his hotel to the ball, two blocks distant. Cheerfully walking along in the habit of his forefathers, lie was suddenly descried by two immense dogs, which, not able cnlmly to endure the sight of a monster of ■o frightful uiein, iin nedialely bounced after him. The poor young man scampered, and with gneat presence of mind frantically din. bed a high board fence, and there on the sharp cdne of the same, in Iho cool night air, he reposed for two houn wliilo the bi<? dogs beneath sat serenading him and the mcon, and the dance went gaily on in that ball-room so noar imd yet oo far.— New York Tribune. Before the beginning of this century, Dr Benjamin Smith Barton, of Philadelphia, published some experiments in which cut flow era or blips m water, which wero about to fade or wither, were revived for a time by putting cam] hor in the water. He compared its action to that of spirituous liquors or opium upon animals. We think the idea and the I practice have not wholly died out in this country, although very warm water is the commoner prescription now-a-days. Dr Vogel, of Munich, haa been tning these experiments over again, and he finds that camphor docs have a remarkable reviving effect upon some plants, although almost none upon others, ond that it quickens the germinaton of seeds. Tho Melbourne Araus states Unit the 100 yards race I between the well-known prde*trion Hewitt and n horse, for j £50 a side, took place in the Friendly Societies' Garden* on Saturday afternoon, in the pi£seuce of a large number of spectators. Hewitt wa9 the favourite in. the betting at the start, ami as *oon as the pistol was fired he jumped away I with the lead, which he held throughout, coming in a winner I by about five jards. The kind of windmill which appears to be best adapted for general use in pumping, grinding, chaff-cutting, sawing, I &c , is that known as the Einpiro windmill, an American in- ' tendon. This null, when exhibited at the Melbeurne Agri- | cultural Show last year, was awarded an honorary certificate, and rei eived very 'flattering notice from the Victorian press. Wi 3 are informed that some of them at work in this colony ! have given much satisfaction. Being sell-regulating it requires no attention, for so long as the wind blows the mill goes round, and always with the same degree of velocity. It is described as a wonderful economizer of both horse nnd hand power. It can be used for numerous purposes, and is made- of various sizes, from 9 feet, to 36 feet in diamenter, and being constructed with two rods instead of one, or what is termed balanced connections, can bo made of any reasonable height with very little additional friction or dead j weight. The Melbourne Argus says :— A public discussion which j took place in the Town Hall, at Hjde Park, Massachusetts, j in the month of June last, between a physician and a clergyman, on the subject of prohibition, as applied to the liquor lelling, is noteworthy a* showing Iho logical outcome ot tho Maine law and Permissive Bill principles. The controversialists were Dr Dio Low i«, who has rendered himself conspicuous in connection with tiie female crusade against the publicans, and the Rev Dr Miner. Moral suasion found an advocate in the tormer, and statutory repression was strenuously recommended by the latter. Tho one treated drunkenness as u vice only, while the other regarded it us a crime. Dr Lewis contended that every man had a perfect right to ftil, diink, chew tobacco, or kinuke at his own leisure, so long as he dut not infringe the liberty of or otherwise luterfen with his fellownien. Dr Miner took the opposite \iew of the question, and, arguing with some waimtb, laid himself open to the Inllowing searching remark by his antagonist :—" Don't jou ccc that \ou have entered a path that loßicully leuds to tho control "of e\en » man's religions ' views?" "I sccept it," eiied Dr Miner, " I accept it. If, any views .ire entertained in society which in tho judgment, j

of the Ltv lature tttid to piodiuo js much Kri • u-- rum d..-., it would be ll.«' bounden -luu of tluiu L«»i-la-ure to , iliilut s'ip'i viex.b" Inunso excitement pe.\r led the audience. Dr Lewis spuuii; forwa.d with, " I)r M.ner, I chn.lcngo } uU t0 P ut tf ttfe stntcmont ou record. I lieve^ I »arti an "ojmiuoh »v uicli i>o ueUirtlied tne. Hero are i\9 reporters. Put thiit ■ n record.' 1 Dr Miu-r cried o-il '\»th the same wa>-m'Ji, "I w lcome the rej-orJors. Let them put it on record." And ao the discussion u-nninaleJ. But the adim- iuii m.de by the iev«.iuid disputant oujht to >\«>n people's e^o3 to the dai^.-.ou^ coiiv q utilises of ailordmg any leg*! sanLtion to the p.olubx.ol.l prihciple. Foi it th^ ir,iijonly inl.fs upoi it'flf to deuide whut n 2»od or ml fol» the btomuchs r.f il.e minority, «hy should it not al-o deterrrine whiit form of religion ts good or eril for their bouls ? It i) should be allowed to closf » public hou-e because injurious bpvnr-ige» on- ret-uU'd in it wi'l ii, not proceed to drelarp thnt ccilam places of worship ought. 1o be s'.ut up, heean-o whn» me behoved to be ,!an2«»rou« doftrinw arc dis-spmin-ted in th< w ? b'&noy a lew JDr M'Gibbons armed with leuislnt-.ve nuthont-y to giro practical eiFoct to their nnrvott-'i,in' | edmMM ond bigotry. T'.e Lancet of Vuttu-t 8 says —Professor Huxley rose to his theme— and a congenial one it was — on the Ist inatant, when Bnmint;l,ain performed an act of relributife justice in flic erejlion of a monument to the discoverer of oxygen. P. ipill.'v's services to ceience, however, were not the mam Mibjeut "ol Professor Huxley's etilosy ; indeed, he omitted all mention of eoiiti-ibutioiid to physics and chrmtotry with whic'i Pritstlcy'i? nnrae is ns lionnrably identified as with fie d seovprv of OTy«en. It wos Ins intrepidity in thoeauae freedom," civil and religions, that evoked Professor Huxley's warmest encomiums, nnd roused him •x) an eloquence rare even ior liim. The fruiis of Priestley's self-sncnfice it htis been left for moie recent grn< ritions to reap ; tlie moral air we breat'ie lias been so purged of intolerance that we csj*. SL-.ircely appreciate the revolution in thought and opinioW which the philosopher achieved In expatiating on this theme, Professor Huxley wns most characteristic, casting j many a side glunce at tlie traces of fanaticism still surviving, and many a broad hint at the quarters in which Priestley* work hasyet to be carried on. His audience w»s in all respe< ts congenial ; and on points ot education, religion, and political opinion found on interpreter as sympathetic and outspoken as the -genius loci itself could have producod. At Li-edd, the bnthplace of the philosopher, addresses on the incident of the diiy were delivered by T)r Cliffort Allbutt nnd others of tho medical school '• while 111 Pans 11. Wiliied de Fonvielle gave a Frenchman's tribute to the English vindicifor of tho revolution '89. Priestley, iv fact, was, if noL the < i-coverer, at least the difluoer, of a "moral oxygenW not I- *s essential to the growth of the mind than ita physical counterpart is to tho well-bping ©t the bodily frame.